EXPERT RESPONSE
VoIP is swimming in regulatory debate. Many countries are now considering how to regulate voice over IP services delivered by commercial providers (e.g., Vonage). For example, according to PC World, the Canadian government is considering imposing traditional telephone regulations on VoIP start-ups. In Europe, VoIP services that lack quality-of-service guarantees are not regulated. In the US, the FCC and state regulatory commissions are debating whether emergency services like E-911 should be required from VoIP providers. Last December, the FCC ruled that VoIP services are not "inter-state" and are thus exempt from regulation by the state commissions that normally establish tariffs and rules for traditional telcos.
Consult these articles from SearchEnterpriseVoice.com and elsewhere to read more about pending VOIP regulations:
VoIP industry preps for regulatory battles, new competition
FCC investigates VoIP squashers
Skype VoIP threat to Euro telcos
California mounts appeal of FCC's VoIP Order
Industry coalition seeks to head off VoIP 911 requirements
The regulatory status of VoIP carried over private networks is even less well-defined than public VoIP. If you have a question about laws in a specific country, it is best to consult that country's telco regulatory body. One good place to start is the International Telecommunication Union's VOIP regulatory news page.
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